Gage for indicating the efficiency of a steam-condenser.



A, E. L. SCANES.

GAGE FOR INDICA'HN G THE EFFICIENCY OF A STEAM CONDENSER.

APPLICATION FILED ugc. 5.1913.

L21K70 Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES mvENroK:

A. E. L. SCANES. GAGE FOR INDICATING T'HE EFFICIENCY OF A STEAM CONDENSER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5. I913.

1,2121074. I Patented Feb.20,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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GAGE FOR INDICATING THE EFFICIENCY OF A STEAM-CONDENSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, rear.

Application filed December 5, 1913. Serial No. 804,915.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, ARTHUR EDWIN LEIGH SCANES, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Manchester, England, have invented a new and useful Improved Gage for Indicating the Efficiency of a Steam-Condenser, of which the following is a specification.-

This invention relates to gages for indicating directly the efficiency of a steam con denser. In the-case of a jet condenser the improved gage indicates directly the vacuum efficiency while in the case of a surface condenser the gage may be used to indicate the condenser efiiciency as well as the vacuum eificiency. 7

According to my invention the improved gage consists essentially of a U-tube 'or equivalent closed at one end and having its open end connected to the vacuum to be tested. The tubecontains a suitable quantity of water and the sealed end exhausted of air in the usual way together with the adjacent part of the tube containing water is immersed in a chamber which is heated to a temperature corresponding to the temperature, of thedischarge' water of the condenser. In the case of a surface condenser the chamber .maybe heated to the temperature of the circulating water discharged from" the condenser or to the temperature of the condensed steam. The pressure in the sealed end of the tube will then be equal to the tension of the water vapor at the temperature of the circulating water or condensed steam and this is balanced against the pressure actually existing in the condenser so that the diflerence between the level of the water inthe sealed end of the tube and the level in the open end of the tube will be a measure of the condenser or vacuum efficiency.

In order that the nature of my invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to describe how it may be carried out in practice with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is an elevation somewhat diagrammatic illustrating a simple form of the invention. Figs. 2, 3 and 4' are similar views showing modifications. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a gage of the form disclosed in Fig. 4, connected up to a jet condenser for indicating the vacuum efiiciency.

Referring now to Fig. 1, a U-tube l having an enlargement 2 in one leg is sealed at the end of the other leg as indicated at 3.

The open end 4 of the U-tube is adapted to be connected by any suitable means to the vacuum space of the condenser the efiicien'cy of which is to be tested. The tube 1 is partially-filled with water 5 and the Whole apparatus is immersed in a container or bath 6 to which water is supplied through the inlet 7 and from which it flows by the outlet 8. If the gage is to be used to indicate the vacuum efficiency of a jet condenser the inlet 7 may be connected to a by-pass from the condenser hot-Well pump so that the temperature of the water in said container and thereforeof the Water in the U-tube will be substantially the same as that of the discharge Water of the'condenser. The pressure in the sealed end of the tube 1 .will be due to the vapor tension of the water therein which is at the temperature of the container, and will correspond to'the theoretically possible vacuum in the condenser. The difference of pressure in the two legs of the tube will cause the water 5 to take up a definite position and the difference of level of the water in the two legs of the tube will be a measure of the vacuum efliciency of the condenser. A scale 9 may be attached to the sealed leg of the tube which may be calibrated so as to give direct readings of the vacuum efficiency in percentages if desired. When the apparatus is to be used with a surface condenser .a two-way cock is preferably provided in the inlet tube 7 so that the water in thecontainer 6 may be supplied either from the condensed steam pump (that is from the hot-Well) or from the discharge of the cooling water circulating system. When the container is supplied from the hot-well the gage will indicate the vacuum efficiency in the same manner as when the 7 device is used with the jet condenser, while if the container is supplied from the circulating Water the gage will directly indicate the condenser efiiciency, and whether the condenser is clean or dirty. The enlargement 2 in the tube is not indispensable and maybe omitted if desired.

In-Fig. 2 the U-tube is replaced by a vertical tube 10 which issealed at its upper end and exhausted of air. The lower end of said tube projects into and is hermetically connected with a cistern 11 having a pipe 4 the open end of which is connected to the vacuum to be tested. The tube 10 and the cistern 11 contain mercury and at the top of the column in the tube 10 a small quantity of water 13 is provided, so that the pressure in the upper end of said tube will be equal to the vapor tension of the water. The apparatus is immersed in a container 6 and the operation being similar to that hereinabove described with reference to Fig. 1, will be clear without further description. Alternatively water alone may be used in the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, a longer reading being then given on the scale 9.

Fig. 3 shows an apparatus which is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 2, with the exception that the vertical tube 14: is filled with water, its lower end being enlarged as shown at 15 and dipping beneath the surface of mercury 16 contained in the cistern 17. The operation of this apparatus is similar to those of theapparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 shows an apparatus which is in many respects similar to Fig. 1, but both legs of the U-tube 18 are provided with en largeinents as shown at 19 and 20, and the water in the sealed leg of the U-tube is separated from the vacuum to be tested by a body of mercury 21 which fills the lower part of the U-tube together with portions of the enlargements thereof. In place of im-. llulSHlg the entlre apparatus in a container,

the sealed leg of the U-tube is provided with a. jacket 22 having a. suitable inlet 23 and outlet 24, by means of which water from the condensed steam pump or from the circulating discharge may be passed. The vacuuln or condenser efficiency will be indicated by the level of the water at 25.

Fig. 5 shows, in diagram, the manner of connecting the gage to a jet condenser to imlivate thevacuum efiiciency thereof, the form of gage shown in Fig. 4- being used. According to Fig. 5, the open end of the tube 18 is connected by a tube or pipe 30 to the vacuum space of a jet condenser A, and water is supplied to the jacket 22 through a by-pass31 from the condenser hot-well pump 13 and is returned to the condenser by a pipe 32, the pipe 31 being connected to the jacket inlet 23 and the pipe 32 being connected to the jacket outlet 24:. The manner of connecting the gages shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 for indicating the vacuum efliciency of a jet condenser will be obvious from a consideration of Fig. 5.

The passage of the water through the container or jacket may conveniently be obtained by connecting the pipe 32 from the outlet thereof to a space in which there is a slight vacuum, for example to an evacuated part of the condenser.

I have herein described by way of example various forms by means of which my invention may be carried out in practice.

I wish it understood, however, that my invention is not limited to these forms but that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the nature of my invention.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a steam condenser, of a sealed tube containing water and having its open end connected with the vacuum space of the steam condenser, and means for maintaining the water in said tube at a temperature equal to that of the water in the condenser, said tube being shaped whereby it is adapted to maintain a vapor or vacuum space that may be separated by a liquid seal from the rest of the tube. I

2. In an efficiency indicating gage of the character described, the combination with a tube having one end sealed and exhausted of air and containing water and the other end open and adapted to be connected with the vacuum space of a steam condenser, said tube being shaped whereby it is adapted to maintain a vacuum or vapor space and also a mercury column serving as a liquid seal to separate the water in the sealed end of said tube from the open end thereof and means for maintaining the water in the sealed end of the tube at a temperature determined by the condenser.

3. In an eiiiciency indicating gage of the character described, the combination with a tube having one end sealed and exhausted of air and containing water and the other end open, of means for connecting the open end of said tube with the vacuum space of a steam condenser and a container in which said tube is immersed and through which the water from the steam condenser is caused to flow, said tube being shaped whereby it is adapted to maintain a vapor or vacuum space that may be separated by a liquid seal from the rest of the tube.

4. The combination with a steam condenser of a sealed U-shaped tube containing water and having its open end connected with the vacuum space of the condenser and a jacket surrounding said tube through which the discharged circulating water from the condenser is caused to pass.

5. In an efliciency indicating gage of the character described, the combination with a tube having one end sealed and exhausted of air and containing water and the other end open and adapted to be connected with the vacuum space of a steam condenser, of a container surrounding said tube through which the condensed steam from the steam condenser is caused to flow, said tube being shaped whereby it is adapted to maintain a vapor or vacuum space that may be separaliged by a liquid seal from the rest of the tu e.

6. In an efficiency indicating gage of the characterdescribed, the combination with a U-shaped tube having one end sealed and condenser.

exhausted of air and containing water andv the other end en, of means for. connecting the open end 0 said tube with the-vacuum space of a steam condenser and means for maintaining the water in the sealed end of said tube at a temperature determined by the 7. A gage of the nature described comprising m combination a U-shaped tube having one end sealed and exhausted of air and containing water and the other end open and adapted to be connected with the vacuum space of a steam condenser and a water jacket surrounding said tube.

8. In an efi'iciency indicating gage of the character described, the combination with a U-shaped tube having one end sealed and exhausted of air and containing water and the other end open and adapted to be connected with the vacuum space of a steam condenser,

. of a water jacket surrounding the sealed end of said tube.

9. The combination with a steam condenser, of a U-shaped tube having one end sealed and containing water and the other or open end connected with the vacuum space of the condenser, of a jacket surrounding saidtube and. means for enabling the;

condensed steam from the steam condenser to flow through said jacket.

10. The combination with a steam condenser, of a U-shaped tube having one end sealed and containing water and the other or open end connected with the vacuum space of "the condenser, of a jacket surrounding said tube and means for enabling the discharged circulating water from the steam mercury separating the water in said tube from the vacuum space of the condenser, a jacket surrounding the sealed end of said tube and means for enabling water from the steam condenser to flow through said jacket. In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this twentieth day of November, 1913.

. ARTHUR sown: LEIGH 'scANEs.

Witnesses "NORMAN H. SHEARD,

JAB. Smwi n'r Bnoiinroo'r. 

